Family Ties
by Medie Shanachie
Summary: The team comes to terms with being betrayed by one of their own and finds out a little bit more about things they didn't know much to their dismay and amusement.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: **I just got to thinking about "Janus List" and "Trust Metric" the other day and wanted to do some stuff with it. Also it seemed to me that Megan trusted Colby more after he broke out than anyone else on the team. Thanks to Mustangcandi at savecolby on livejournal for giving Colby the full name Colburn (Jo's nickname for him is purely my invention)._

_**Disclaimer:** In case of copyright issues, I don't own Don, David, Colby, or Megan or the Numb3rs concept. But I do own Jo, although I'm only taking responsibility for some of her actions...she does have a mind of her own._

_**Spoilers:** Janus List (sort of) and Trust Metric (sort of)_

_**Rating:** PG-17 (which according to my best friend exists), I think--there's some language issues, but lemme know if I should rate it higher._

* * *

It wasn't the first time the team had searched a suspect's apartment, but never before had they searched the home of someone they knew. Don paused before fitting the key into the lock, exchanging glances with Megan. He had given everyone the option to back out of this search, but David and Megan were crowded behind him on the stoop.

When the door swung open, they all had a moment where it seemed as if all the events of the past few days were just a bad dream. The apartment didn't look abandoned yet, he had only really been gone a matter of days, and the dust that had settled was just the normal amount left by a busy, bachelor man. The three teammates stepped inside and Don glanced around. Only David had been inside the apartment before and Don could see the regret of this oversight on Megan's face as they looked around. "Let's do this quickly," Don instructed.

The three of them pulled on gloves and split up, heading for various parts of the apartments. Megan went into the kitchen and began opening cupboards, surprised to find them well-stocked. David headed into the bedroom and began to pull drawers out, rifling through them quickly but thoroughly.

Don settled at the desk in the living room and began to unhook the computer. It would be taken back to the lab and scanned there; just in case there were any nasty little surprises on it. He was kneeling on the ground, reaching under the desk for the last of the cords when he heard a key scrap in the lock. He spun around, easing his gun from his holster as Megan exited the kitchen; her own gun drawn. They waited with bated breath for the door to swing open.

The girl who entered emitted a sharp "Eek!" when she caught sight of them, dropping her duffel to the floor and quickly thrusting her hands into the air.

Don nodded to Megan and she moved over to the girl, careful not to get into his line of sight. Holstering her own gun, she swiftly patted the girl down, looking for weapons. "She's clean," Megan reported after she moved away.

"Who are you?" Don demanded.

"Jo Granger. Who are you? Where the hell is Burn?" the girl replied.

Don was amused to note that now that the first startlement had worn off, the girl looked more pissed than scared. Then her last name registered. "Granger?" he asked, exchanging glances with Megan.

The girl lowered her arms and when no one said anything, she crossed them. There was a belligerent look on her face as she replied, "Yeah. Granger. You got a problem with that?"

"Colby's married?" Megan asked.

Don shook his head as David came out of the bedroom, drawn by the sound of the voices. "No, he's not," Don answered. "Or at least it's not in his file."

"There's a lot of stuff that wasn't in his file," David commented as the girl began to laugh. "What?" he demanded.

She waved it off, overcome by laughter. "Nothing. Just trying to imagine Burn married. That's hysterical. Now where is he?"

"Who are you?" Megan asked instead of answering. "Why do you have a key to Colby's apartment? And who is Burn?"

The girl shook her head. "Nah-uh. I'm not answering your questions until you tell me who you are."

"Agent Don Eppes," Don replied, flipping open his ID and showing it to her. "Now how about answering Megan's questions?"

The girl's look changed to one of confusion. "Eppes? But you're Burn's boss..." She looked around the apartment, which was obviously in the midst of being searched. "What the hell is going on?" And where's Burn?" She wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes, taking a couple of deep breaths. "Okay. Deep breath. Deep breath. Co-operate. Answer their questions and maybe they'll tell you what happened. Someone would have called if Burn was hurt and you had no messages." She opened her eyes and locked them with Don's. "My name is Jo Granger. Burn is the man you call Colby. I'm Burn's younger sister. I call him Burn; it's short for Colburn and a joke because when we were kids he used to give me Indian burns all the time to torment me. I have a key because he gave me one. I flew in from Idaho this morning to spend some time with him. Now will you tell me where my brother is? Please?"

Don motioned for Megan and David to go back to their searching as he reached for Jo. "Come have a seat," he invited her.

Jo jerked away from him. "Don't touch me!" she snapped.

"Miss Granger, please, have a seat." Don motioned at the couch. "I'll try to explain."

"Call me Jo. Where's Burn?"

"Colby's downtown. He's being questioned in reference to some information that we were given a day ago." Don looked at her sadly. "I'm sorry, but he's not denying anything."

"What is he accused of?" Jo asked as she looked across the room to the desk where pictures of Burn and herself had sat the last time she had visited.

"He sold intel to the Chinese."

Jo shook her head emphatically. "No. No!" She got up and paced, shaking her hands, mumbling to herself, "No. You're wrong. Not Burn." She shook her head. "Burn wouldn't do something like that. He was a decorated soldier for god's sake!" She spun back around so she was facing Don. "I want to see him. I _need_ to see him."

"I can't promise anything, but I'll see what I can do," Don replied.

"Does he have a lawyer? Does he need anything?" Her anger had faded for the moment and she was more focused on the trouble her brother was in.

Don shook his head. "I don't know." He turned as David and Megan came out of the bedroom. "You done?" he asked and received nods in reply. "Okay. Jo, you can't stay here. Agent Reeves will take you to the hotel or motel of your choice and someone will contact you when you can see Colby."

"Why can't I stay here?" Jo asked.

Don sighed. "It's not a crime scene, but there might be evidence here that we haven't found yet. We're going to escort you out and you'll have to turn over your key."

Jo looked around the apartment. They hadn't been overly messy with the search, but she could tell things had been moved. Burn wasn't obsessed with having a perfectly neat apartment, but things had their places. She could see where the agents had moved things and not put them back where they belonged. "Can I take a couple of things?" she asked.

Don frowned, but nodded after a moment. "I have to approve them and write down what you take."

"Yeah. Whatever." Jo walked over to the desk and pulled the middle drawer out, dropping it on the floor. Reaching into the hole she had created, she pulled on something and a panel slid open. Kneeling down, she reached into the crevice and pulled out a box.

"How did you know that was there?" Don asked.

Jo looked over her shoulder as practiced fingers spun the combination dial. Unless Burn had changed the numbers in the last year, she would still know them. A moment later, she felt a click as the lock gave way under her hand. "Hell-lo. Burn's my brother. There _are_ some secrets he shared with _me_."

Megan came over and crouched next to her, looking over the younger woman's shoulder. "What's in there?"

Jo considered trying to hide it, but knew they were going to look at what she took before they would let her have it. "Nothing that would interest the FBI," she answered, tipping the box so Megan could see what was in it. Jo sorted through the items in the box, looking for what she wanted. After a moment, she pulled out three pictures and a fuzzy little ball with a hook on the end. She showed them to Megan. "This is what I want."

Megan poked the fuzzy thing that rested on Jo's hand. "What _is_ it?"

"A Hornberg." When Megan just looked at her in confusion, she continued, "It's for fly fishing." She shrugged when Megan still looked confused. "Yeah, I don't get it either, but Dad made this for Burn so I'm taking it." Jo turned and looked up at Don. "Unless you have some objection."

"No. Just that thing and the pictures?" he asked. Jo nodded in reply. "Fine. Put the box on the desk." He motioned to Megan. "Take her out and escort her to a hotel or motel."

"Sure, Don." Megan cupped Jo's elbow with her hand and guided the young woman out of the apartment.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note: **Well, here's chapter two. Sorry it's so short, but, hey, I finished the entire story, so really I plan to post everything tonight. Thanks to Mustangcandi at savecolby on livejournal for giving Colby the full name Colburn (Jo's nickname for him is purely my invention)._

_**Disclaimer:** In case of copyright issues, I don't own Don, David, Colby, or Megan or the Numb3rs concept. But I do own Jo, although I'm only taking responsibility for some of her actions...she does have a mind of her own._

_**Spoilers:** Janus List (sort of) and Trust Metric (sort of)_

_**Rating:** PG-17 (which according to my best friend exists), I think--there's some language issues, but lemme know if I should rate it higher._

* * *

Megan pulled to a stop in front of the hotel where she had left Jo Granger two days before. She turned the car off and took a deep breath before exiting the car and striding into the lobby. Jo got to her feet as Megan strode into the lobby. The agent had called her a few hours ago and told her that she could see Burn. Now she went to meet Megan, not sure what her reception would be. "Good morning, Agent Reeves," she greeted Megan, smiling brightly.

Megan gave her a tight smile in reply. "Good morning, Miss Granger. Do you have a photo ID with you?"

Jo pulled a wallet out of her back pocket, flipping it open to reveal an Idaho driver's license and a sheriff's ID. "Good enough?" she asked.

Megan nodded. "Let's go."

Jo stared out the passenger window as Megan skillfully navigated the traffic, loath to speak to the agent. She wanted to ask Megan about Burn, but was afraid of what she would learn. Like every little sister she had the tendency to idolize her older brother, even though she knew he wasn't perfect. Although Don had told her Burn confessed, she knew there had to be something else going on. She just couldn't see her brother, who had so passionately served his country, as a spy. "Did you arrest anyone else when you arrested Burn?" she asked suddenly.

Megan took her eyes off the road for a minute to glance at Jo. "We got a list; it was called the Janus List, that told all of the people that spied on the US for other governments. Colby's name was on it."

Jo considered what she had said, but still didn't believe her brother had done something so wrong. "Was anyone else that Burn knows or knew on the list? Maybe someone he knew when he was active duty overseas?" Jo knew she was grasping at straws, but something had to be the answer. "Someone else who could have planted his name?"

Megan shook her head. "The only person on the list that Colby had any connection to was Dwayne Carter. And we had already arrested him by the time we unlocked the list."

"Carter was on the list?" Jo made a disgusted noise. "Figures that asshole is a traitor. And it would be just like him to bring Burn down with him."

"You know Carter?" Megan asked in surprise.

"Unfortunately." Jo wrapped her arms around her body as much as she could as if to hide herself from her memories. "He's an asshole of the finest degree. I never understood what Burn saw in him as a friend."

Megan shrugged as she turned into the parking lot of the correctional facility. "I don't know. I'm starting to think I don't know Colby as well as I thought I did."

Jo looked up at the forbidding building as she got out of the car and shuddered. "Burn is gonna go stark raving mad in there," she commented to herself, but Megan heard her. Steeling themselves, the two women walked towards the entrance.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note: **Yippee! Here's Colby! And yes, Jo got to torment him. giggles Gotta love her. And honestly, yeah I think Colby loves her too, as much as she annoys him. Thanks to Mustangcandi at savecolby on livejournal for giving Colby the full name Colburn (Jo's nickname for him is purely my invention)._

_**Disclaimer:** In case of copyright issues, I don't own Don, David, Colby, or Megan or the Numb3rs concept. But I do own Jo, although I'm only taking responsibility for some of her actions...she does have a mind of her own._

_**Spoilers:** Janus List (sort of) and Trust Metric (sort of)_

_**Rating:** PG-17 (which according to my best friend exists), I think--there's some language issues, but lemme know if I should rate it higher._

* * *

"Hey, Granger, put your shirt on," the guard said as he stopped outside Colby's cell, "you've got some visitors."

Colby looked up from his push-up position on the floor, then rolled cat-like to his feet and reached for the shirt he'd tossed on his bunk. "Who is it?" he asked, tugging the shirt on and buttoning it most of the way up.

"I dunno who they are, but two women. Too bad you don't get conjugal visits, dude, cuz both of them are real lookers," the guard replied.

Colby stood patiently as the guard shackled him and patted him down. "They didn't sign in?" he asked. This was one of the more talkative guards and as long as he was casual about it, Colby could usually get information from him.

"'Course they signed in. I just didn't see any names. The red-head flashed FBI badge, but the blond just showed a driver's license." He checked the cuffs on Colby's wrists, then motioned him forward. "The license looked like it was out of state," he added as they began to walk down the hall.

Colby wracked his brain as they walked, trying to figure out who the two women were. He decided the red-head with the FBI badge was probably Megan, although he wasn't sure why she would be visiting him. Try as he might, he couldn't figure out who the blond was.

When Colby entered the visitor's room, he realized he never would have guessed who the blond was. "Jo," he sighed.

She smiled sadly at him and crossed over to hug him. The guard stopped her before she reached him. "I'm sorry, Miss. You can't touch him."

Jo backed away. "Right. I knew that. Sorry." She brushed her hair out of her eyes. "Hi, Burn."

Colby shuffled over to the table and sat down in the chair. The guard indicated that Jo take the seat across from him. Megan was leaning against the wall by the door to freedom and Colby spared her a glance before turning his attention to Jo. He had things he wanted to say to Megan, but he couldn't so he kept his focus on his younger sister. "What are you doing here, Jo?" he asked as she sat down across from him.

"Here in particular or in California?" she asked.

"Don't be a brat," he replied.

"I can't help it," she answered. "It's coded into my DNA."

Colby lowered his head into his hands, although secretly he was glad that so far she had answered with the right code words. Hopefully she would continue and he would be able to pass a message to her. "Joanna, please. Why are you here?" he continued using the code they had developed as a child and prayed she would answer him the right way.

"Um, Burn, you're the one who bought me the plane ticket," Jo pointed out, then added, "And don't call me Joanna."

If he hadn't had to contain his excitement that she was answering correctly, he would have pumped his fist in celebration. "Then stop calling me Burn," he completed the verbal code to indicate that he knew what they were both on the same page. He reached across the table, but pulled back when the guard started towards them. He didn't really want to touch her; he knew he wasn't allowed, but he wanted cover for his next move. "I've always hated that name." He folded his hands, leaving his index and middle finger out. He tapped his fingers twice so that she knew to listen to every other word of his next statement. "I need for you totrust in me," he unfolded his hands so that she knew the end wasn't part of the message, "and my lawyer." Jo nodded slightly as he folded his hands back into the position they had been in and tapped his fingers again. "You shouldn't always believe in everything that you," he tapped his finger once, indicating the last word was part of the clue, "hear on television."

"I know not to listen to everything that the news reports, Burn," she replied, placing her right hand palm down on the table to indicate that she got his message.

Colby relaxed back in his chair and unfolded his hands, glad he had managed to get a message to her and that no one else in the room seemed the wiser. "How's Mom? How's work going? Are there any boyfriend prospects on the horizon?"

Jo glared at him. "Burn, really. Don't you have other concerns?"

He shrugged a shoulder. "You're always a concern, Jo-Jo." His eyes flicked to Megan. "Everything okay? You're not in trouble, are you?"

"I didn't arrest her, Granger, if that's what you're trying to ask," Megan snapped.

Colby smiled easily, not at all offended by her tone. "I know you wouldn't, Megan, but who knows what David would do since he's already tried to take my head off. Excuse me for being concerned about my baby sister."

"I'm fine," Jo broke-in before the two could start bickering. "Just worried about you. What _exactly_ do you want me to tell Mom?" Jo tried to steer the conversation back on track, knowing that her time with Colby was limited.

Colby's green eyes widened. "She doesn't know? You haven't said anything to her?"

Jo rolled her eyes. "Oh, yeah. I can just see that conversation." She mimed dialing a phone and putting it to her ear. "'Hi, Mom. Yes, I got to LA safely. No, Burn didn't pick me up at the airport, I took a taxi to his apartment. What? Oh, he's fine. He's being housed and fed by the Federal government. No, I'm not being sarcastic, Mom. He's in jail. When did I find out? Oh, when I walked into his apartment and was greeted by two Federal agents with drawn guns; one of whom patted me down and checked me for weapons. Then they told me he was in jail. Yes, Mom, I love you, too. Okay, I'll call you in a couple of days after I've seen him.'" She pretended to hand up the phone. "Yeah, so not a conversation I want to have," she informed Colby.

Megan tried hard to stifle her laughter at Jo's comments, but couldn't quite. Colby really wanted to bang his head on the table, an urge he often had when Jo was around, but also knew that would result in his going right back to his cell. Of course if he just throttled Jo, he would have no worries about the cell because he would go straight to death row. "There are other ways to tell her," he finally said when he was sure what came out of his mouth wouldn't be something that would set her off or get him hauled back to his cell.

"I know." Jo shrugged and grinned at him. "But I have to keep my sarcasm in practice somehow. I did learn from the best after all."

Colby had to grin at that comment. "Okay, you do have a point there. Still there are better ways to tell Mom."

"I know. I'll figure something out once I get home. You know this is going to break her heart," Jo answered, turning serious.

He nodded. "I know and I'm sorry for that. How was she when you left?"

Jo twisted the ring on her right hand; the one Colby had given her when she had graduated from high school. "She was good. Still doing her quilting and her church work. Bingo on Mondays, potlucks on Wednesdays, church on Sundays." She shrugged. "You know Mom."

Colby nodded. "And work? How's that going for you?"

She grinned in response. "I got transferred to days. Much better to dispatch when I'm actually awake. And the boys don't tend to get as bored on days. Besides at least I don't send cops out for incidents of cow tipping anymore."

Colby snorted as Megan laughed out loud. "Yes, there is that plus," he admitted. He looked over at Megan. "It's not as funny as you'd think. The cows can get hurt really bad when they get tipped over. Unfortunately, there isn't much to do in the area and the high school boys use it as a dare."

Jo raised her eyebrows. "I seem to remember a certain brother who went cow tipping one night."

Colby groaned. "You would remember that." He looked up as the guard approached them. "Is it time?" he asked.

The guard nodded. "Yeah, Granger. Say good-bye to your sister."

Colby looked Jo in the eyes as he stood up. "Go home to Mom, Jo. Stay there and stay safe."

Jo got to her feet and looked at the guard. "Please. Let me hug him good-bye. I don't know when I'll see him again."

The guard looked to Megan who pushed away from the wall and nodded. "Yeah, she doesn't have any weapons or anything. She won't slip him anything."

The guard stepped back and let Jo walk around the table to Colby. His hands were still cuffed so he couldn't really hug her back, but she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, inhaling the scent of him. There was no scent of cologne like usual, but she could smell the clean scent of sweat that she remembered from her childhood when he would come in after chores and swing her up and around. Kissing him softly on the cheek, she whispered, "I love you, Burn," before stepping away.

Colby turned his back and followed the guard out of the room, not wanting to watch her walk away from him. He had no idea when he would see her again and he knew from her shuddering that she was going to break down and cry soon. He didn't want his last memory to be her tears.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note: **And the last chapter. Just a little wrap-up. Not sure I like the ending, but y'all have to let me know...it just might be the latest of the hour that's making me not like it. Thanks to Mustangcandi at savecolby on livejournal for giving Colby the full name Colburn (Jo's nickname for him is purely my invention)._

_**Disclaimer:** In case of copyright issues, I don't own Don, David, Colby, or Megan or the Numb3rs concept. But I do own Jo, although I'm only taking responsibility for some of her actions...she does have a mind of her own._

_**Spoilers:** Janus List (sort of) and Trust Metric (sort of)_

_**Rating:** PG-17 (which according to my best friend exists), I think--there's some language issues, but lemme know if I should rate it higher._

* * *

Megan stepped forward as the door shut behind Colby and the guard. "We need to leave," she informed Jo.

Jo wiped her eyes with her hand and turned away from the door her brother had disappeared through. "Right. Okay. Yeah, I'm good."

Megan pretended not to see the tears that were making the young woman's eyes glisten because she suspected that this was a woman who did not cry easily. Instead she simply lead the way through the corridors to where they had signed in. While Megan accepted her sidearm back from the officer, Jo glanced around. She hadn't really looked when she entered because she was eager to see Burn, but now she saw that the sign-in room didn't look that different from any other. Once Megan had regained her firearm, Jo followed the agent outside. As they got into the car, Megan asked, "So what was the message Colby passed you?"

Jo frowned as she slammed the door. "Message? Burn didn't give me a message."

Megan threw her a look as she started the car. "Jo, I'm not stupid, even if those guards were. He passed you a message."

Jo shrugged and changed the subject as she tried to decide whether she should trust the agent or not. "There are some items in Burn's apartment I'd like to take home with me. Would it be possible for me to get things out?"

Megan considered the request as she pulled the car into traffic. "One of us would have to go in with you," she answered finally, "and everything you took would have to be vouched and approved."

Jo nodded, having known that would be the answer. "But I can take somethings home with me?"

"It depends on what you want."

"Personal stuff mostly. Pictures, some more of his lures. I know not to ask for anything from his desk, but there are things at the apartment that I know he'll want kept safe."

"You think he'll get out of jail?" Megan asked curiously.

"I know my brother, Agent Reeves. He may have confessed, but something else is going on. He's not a traitor. And my visit with him didn't do anything to change my mind."

Megan nodded and then said softly, "I'm glad he's got someone that believes in him."

Jo considered her words and said quietly, "Burn did pass me a message. He used a code we developed when we were kids. He didn't deny the charges though."

"What did he say?" Megan asked. "Unless it was something personal."

Jo shook her head. "Not really personal. He said, 'need you trust me. Shouldn't believe everything you hear.' So I would assume he's hiding something. I just don't know what."

Megan turned into the parking lot of the hotel where she had picked up Jo earlier. "You know your brother better than I do, if you say he's hiding something..." she trailed off. "I'll call you when you can get into the apartment."

Jo nodded as she opened the car door. "Thank you. And thank you for taking me to see Burn. I'm scheduled to go back to Idaho in two days so I'd like to get in before then."

"I'll do my best," Megan promised. She watched Jo walk into the hotel entrance, then pulled back into traffic. The visit had given her a lot to think about.


End file.
